Tubular lantern



(No Model.)

C. J. HIGGINS.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

N. PETERS. Fhowmhugnphzr. wnhingmn, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES J. HIGGINS, OF HALLOVELL, MAINE.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,983, dated April 8, 1890. Application filed March l1, 1889. Serial No. 302,865. (No modell) To all whom t muy concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hallowell, in the county of Kennebee and State of Maine, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tubular Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of tubular lanterns in which the globe is supported in a movable frame, so that the burner can be exposed for lighting, trimming, duc.

One object of my .invention is to construct the movable globe-frame so that it is easily manipulated and locked in place without the use of separate catches or fastenings, and so that it retains its form and securely holdsthe globe.

The invention has the further objects to improve the construction of the air chamber or dome at the top of the lantern, and to improve the lantern in other respects. l

The invention consists of the improvements which will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in 'the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis an elevation of a tubular lantern provided with my improvements, with the upper part thereof shown in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to Fig. l, showing the' collar or shield at the upper end of the globe in section and the globe in a tilted position. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the lantern in line a: fr, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section thereof in line y fy, Fig. l.. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the air-chamber at the top of the lantern and connecting parts. Fig. G is a detached View of the joint of one of the airtubes with the two parts of the tube separated. Fig. 7 is a detached View showing the connection of one of the tubes with the lower airchamber.

Like letters ef reference refer to like parts in the several figures. d

A represents the base of the lantern; b, the lower air-chamber; b', the burnereone surmounting the same; C, the airchamber at the top of the lantern, and D the side tubes connecting the air-chambers h and C.

E is the perforated plate surrounding the burner and hinged at one side to a standard secured to the base of the lantern.

F is the globe, resting upon said hinged plate.

G G represent two upright clasps or wire frames, secured with their lower portions to opposite sides of the tilting plate E and embracing the globe, so as to retain the saine in place upon the plate. These clasps are arranged to face the inner sides of the air-tubes and extend from the tilting plate upwardly to a point above the bulge of the globe. Each clasp or wire frame consists of two upright portions 7L 7L, secured with their lower ends to the margin of the perforated plate, and a horizontal bow h', connecting the upper ends of the upright portions, the three parts 0f each clasp or frame being bent of a single piece of wire. The upright portions h h are bent inwardly near their upper ends, as shown at .7, and bear against the globe, while the bows h encircle the globe at a suitable distance from the outer surface thereof, so that the two clasps grasp the globe at four points. The middle portions of the bows 7L project outwardly beyond the inner sides of the side tubes, so that the bows are sprung inwardly between the tubes and caused to bear forcibly against the latter when the globe and its supporting-frame are in their normal upright posit-ion. The bows h are provided at their central or outermost portions with indentations t', in which the side tubes lit, and whereby the clasps are interlooked with said tubes, the indent-ations being kept in engagement with the tubes by the tendency of the clasps to spring outwardly. The springclasps G G, with the hinged plate E, constitute an elastic or yielding tilting frame or cage, which carries the globe, the clasps serving at the same time as guards to protect the globe.

Upon pressing the globe-supporting frame laterally toward the point at which it is hinged the bows h are disengaged from the side tubes, thereby releasing the globesupporting frame and allowing the same with the globe to be tilted, so as to expose the burner. In this position of the globe-supporting frame the globe is readily. withdrawn from between the clasps. its normal upright position by swinging the tilting frame upwardly and forcingit between the side tubes, whereby the clasps are forced The globe is readily secured in inwardly until their locking-indentations arrive opposite the side tubes, when the clasps again spring outwardly, and thereby leek the globe-frame in its normal position.

The globe is removed from the tilting frame by drawing it outwardly through the space between the elastic bows, which latter spread apart and permit the removal ot the globe. The repeated insertion and removal oi' the globe into and from the tilting traine is liable to distend or bend the wire trames, so as to weaken the hold which they take upon the globe; but the interlockingof the wire frames with the side tubes, whereby the wire frames are pressed inwardly, restores the normal form of the frame and maintains the latter in the proper condition in which the globe is held securely.

As the elastic globesupporting frame is secured in place without the employment of separate spring-catches or other fastenin gs, it is readily locked and unlocked and the construction of the tilting frame is greatly sin1- plified.

'lhe air-chamber C at the top of the lantern consists of a dome le, formed of a single i11- verted-cLip-shaped piece and a bottom plate 7e', closing the lower end of the dome. This bottom plate is provided near opposite edges with two openings for the reception of the upper ends of the side tubes and in its central portion with an annular row of air-inlet openings Z.

m is a convex projection formed on the under side of the bottom plate 7e within the annular row of air-openings Z, and serving as a detlector, which retards the ascent of the gases into the air-chamber C, and also spreads and diffuses thc same. It desired, however, this dellector may be omitted and a single air-opening be formed in the center oi the bott-om plate 7s', as represented in Fig. 5.

The bot-tom plate 7n is provided with a depending marginal ilange m ,which is arran ged within the lower portion of the dome 7.: and eoniined therein by a flange or lip n, formed at the lower edge of the dome and bent inwardly against the flange of the bottom plate. The bottom plate and the dome may, however, be interloeked with each other or fast ened together in any other suitable manner. The dome and its bottom plate are secured to the upper ends of the side tubes D by soldering.

O represents the wire bail, the ends of which pass through openings formed in the dome, the flange of the bottom plate la', and the side tubes, and which are bent over or clinched within the side tubes, as shown in Figs. l, et, and 5. The wire bail prevents the dome from becoming detached from the tubes in case the upper ends of the tubes should be come unsoldered.

The flange yn forms a bead or projecting rim at the lower edge of the dome 7s, which supports the bail in a horizontal position when released, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,

and prevents the same from dropping against the globe or its supporting-frame and becoming heated. rlhe support which the bead n forms is, however, not so positive that the bail could not be pressed down to lie against the globe when the lantern is required to be packed.

l represents a sliding collar or shield surrounding the upper end ot' the globe, and which may be moved upwardly to project beyond the upper end of the globe and into the concave bottom of the upper airchamber when it is desired to prevent very heavy airblasts from blowing across the upper end of the globe and extinguishing the lantern-as, for instance, when the lantern is exposed to gaies on bridges, boats, or other exposed places. lVhen it is desired to tilt the globe, the shield l) is slid down on the globe, so as to clear the lower edge of the upper air-chamber. The shield is held in a raised position by au annular groove or indentation p, formed in the shield and engaging' over the bead at the upper end ot' the globe. rlhe shield is split lengthwise and has overlapping ends, so as to give it the proper elasticity and render it expansible as it is passed over the bead of the globe.

Each of the side tubes is composed of two separate sections or lengths, the adjacent ends of which are cut at the proper angle to fit snugly against each other. One ot these sec tions is formed with projections, ears, or lips q, which overlap the end of the adjacent tubesection, as shown in Figs. land 6. The two scc tions are secured together by soldering, the lips assistingin holding the sections in their proper relative position during the operation of soldering and forming large contact-sur faces, whereby a firm union of the sections is eilected.

The lower sections of the side tubes are pro vided with lips q', which are bent against the inner side of the air-chamber, as represented in Fig. 7, to form a more secure connection.

I claim as my invention-m l. The combination, with the tubular lan tern-franie, of a tilting gl obe-su pporti n g frame hinged to the tubular frame and interlocking in its normal posit-ion with the side tubes thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the tubular lantern-frame, of a tilting' globe-support hinged to the lantern-frame and flexible clasps attached to said support and bearing against the globe above the swell thereof and inter locking with the side tubes, substantially as set forth.

3. rlhe combination, with the tubular lantern-frame, ot a tilting globe-frame consisting oi.' a supporting-plate hinged to t-he lantern.- framc and ilexible globe-embracing clasps attached to said plate and interlocking with TCO ITO

the side tubes of the lantern when the globeframe is in its normal position, substantially as set forth.

et. The combination, with the tubular lantern-frame, of a tilting globe-supporting plate hinged to the lantern-trame and upright Wire clasps attached to the globe-supporting plate and having their bows provided with indentations which interlock with the side tubes of the lantern, substantially as set forth..

5. The combination, with the tubular lantern-frame, of a globe-supporting plate hinged to the lantern-frame and Wire clasps secured to said plate, said Wire clasps being provided with inwardly-bent portions which impinge against the globe and with indentations which interlock with the side tubes, substantially as set forth.

6. In a tubular lantern, the combination, with the side tubes, of a top air-chamber having an imperforate dome and provided With a bottom plate having an air-inlet and openings With Which the straight upper ends of the tubes communicate, substantially as set forth.

7. In a tubular lantern, the combination, With the side tubes, ot` an air-chamber arranged at the top of the lantern and provided on its under side With a convex deiiector and with air-inlet openings around said delector, substantially7 as set forth.

8. In a tubular lantern, the combination with an air-chamber arranged at the top of the lantern and composed of a dome and a bottom plate and the tubes passing through said bottom plate, of abail having its bent ends passed through the sides of the air-chamber and through the air-tubes, whereby the tubes are attached to the air-chamber, substantially as set forth.

9. In a tubular lantern, the combination, With a dome having a bead or projecting rim, of a bail pivoted to said dome above said bead or rim and supported upon said bead or rim in a horizontal position, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the tubular lantern-f rame, having an air-inlet chamber above the globe, and with the globe, of a collar or shield mounted upon the upper portion of the globe and made movable on the same toward and from the air-inlet chamber, whereby the size of the opening belovs7 the air-inlet chamber can be regulated, substantially as set forth.

l1. In a tubular lantern, the combination,

with the globe having a bead at its upper end, of an expansible sliding shield attached to the upper end of the globe and provided with an indentation which engages with the bead of the globe, substantially as set forth.

/Vitness my hand this 26th day of February, 1889.

CHARLES J. HIGGINS.

Witnesses: f.

W. H. PERRY, O. A. TRUE. 

